OK, ladies: Are you ready for a dose of the truth? Let’s face it, being stubborn has a negative connotation. Stubborn people can be insistent, dogmatic, pigheaded, and simply put — resistant to change. Who wants to work in that environment? Have you ever worked with those downright indignant people that make you second-guess your own choices?

Well, don’t be turned off too quickly. In my experience, I have found that there are some good inferences about being stubborn that women should adopt. Male and female leaders can learn a lot from each other. Some psychological studies indicate women nurture their teams and men control their teams. Honestly, depending on the situation and needs, both can be effective approaches.

Consider the other side of stubbornness that can lend a great deal to business. Stubborn people are also determined, persistent, tenacious, and steadfast. Those are qualities that push teams forward! With all the progress women have made, don’t you wonder why only two percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are women? One reason is the slow rate of change—mostly due to psychosomatic reasons.

Other reasons include subconscious grooming. Whether you feel it’s an intuitive or learned behavior, women are taught to possess unwavering support and stay in the shadows. Although our culture has drastically changed through the years, we need to make a concerted effort to continue the evolution itself and the psychological evolution of those it affects.

Personally the behavioral differences of men and women are something I enjoy. When you have a slanted discussion of like-minded participants, they think that is progress. The best boost of energy is when countering insight is brought to the forefront of that discussion and forces you to think beyond your initial direction. That is the crux of diversity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion cannot be just current business buzz words. They have to be embraced as a driving element of business.